UP cops to rope in 283 grams pradhans to keep Ganga ghats clean

PRAYAGRAJ: After a hue and cry was raised over the burial of bodies on the banks of Ganga during the severe second wave of Covid-19 pandemic, the police have roped in newly elected gram pradhans of 283 villages located on the banks of the Ganga along with the officials of various government departments, and volunteers associated with different NGOs to create mass awareness for maintaining cleanliness on Ganga ghats and plantation in four districts of the range including Prayagraj, Fatehpur, Kaushambi and Pratapgarh districts.
More importantly, cops with the help of newly elected gram Pradhans would also be taking up a mega awareness campaign for not burying bodies on the banks of Ganga and take up proper cremation of bodies.

Inspector-general of police (Prayagraj range) K P Singh told TOI, “We have drafted a blueprint to keep the banks of Ganga clean and green.” He added, “We have prepared a list of 283 villages located on the banks of Ganga in four districts of the range including Prayagraj ( 200), Kaushambi (23), Pratapgarh (18) and Fatehpur (42) and are engaging newly elected gram Pradhan to create a mass level awareness campaign in 283 villages so that bodies should be created properly.
The police have compiled data of newly elected gram pradhans of those villages located on banks of Ganga in four districts of the range and Thana cops concerned are contacting and consulting them for the novel mission.
Claiming that none of the bodies of Covid-19 victims was buried in the sand of Ganga during the second wave of Covid and that the bodies were cremated at a separate ghat (Phaphamau), IG said that development agencies including Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) are currently taking up a campaign to cremate bodies that were exposed due to strong water current of Ganga in the ongoing monsoon season. Over 100 such bodies were cremated in Prayagraj district so for.
A newly elected gram Pradhan of Baharia said, “Burying dead bodies in the sand along the banks of river Ganga was an old custom but not a single body was buried on the banks of the Ganga since local administration along with police and PMC took up campaign appealing people to cremate bodies.
He further added, “We have assured police and administrative officials to maintain our ghats on Ganga clean and green and assist their campaign to create a mass awareness in villages concerned.”
The IG said, “Apart from gram Pradhan, we have also engaged mohalla committees to create awareness on the cleaning of ghats in city areas as well”.
He added, “Senior cops are also coordinating with other departments administration, forest department and Nagar Nigam to take up strict measures in city and villages with the aim that no garbage should be dumped on ghats. Besides, we have also taken measures to set up soak pits on the banks so that no untreated water should be discharged into the river.